Shocking Walkouts! 14 Times Bollywood Stars Quit Big Films Right Before Shooting
As Ranveer Singh’s ‘Don 3’ exit grabs headlines, here’s a look at Bollywood stars who also walked out of or were replaced in major films over the years.
Ranveer Singh’s reported exit from ‘Don 3’ has once again put the spotlight on one of Bollywood’s most complicated behind-the-scenes realities: big films do not always move smoothly from announcement to release. ‘Don 3’, directed by Farhan Akhtar and backed by Excel Entertainment, was announced in 2023 as the next chapter of the iconic franchise, with Ranveer stepping into the role after Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. Kiara Advani was also announced as the female lead in 2024. However, the film later found itself in uncertainty after reports claimed that Ranveer had stepped away from the project. The controversy intensified recently when FWICE issued a non-cooperation directive against the actor, though the body later withdrew it after intervention by industry bodies.
While the exact details around Ranveer’s exit have not been explained by him, reports have pointed to creative differences, production delays and disagreements over the film’s direction. But this is not the first time a major Bollywood project has faced a high-profile casting shake-up. Over the years, several stars have quit, been replaced, or walked away from big films due to creative differences, health issues, scheduling conflicts, personal reasons or professional disputes. Some films survived the storm and became blockbusters. Some were shelved forever. And in a few cases, the replacement went on to become iconic.
Here’s a look at some such cases:
1. Salman Khan – Inshallah
In what was meant to be one of the biggest cinematic reunions of the decade, Salman Khan and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali were set to collaborate on ‘Inshallah’ - two decades after their massive hit ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ (1999). Alia Bhatt was officially cast as the female lead in this unconventional romance. However, in August 2019, just days before the sets were to be erected, the film was officially shelved. The abrupt cancellation was attributed to severe creative differences between Salman and SLB regarding the script and the overall tone of the film. While Sanjay Leela Bhansali eventually moved on to make ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ with Alia Bhatt, ‘Inshallah’ remains one of Bollywood's biggest "what-ifs."
2. Kartik Aaryan - Dostana 2
Kartik Aaryan’s exit from ‘Dostana 2’ became one of the biggest casting controversies of 2021. The film, backed by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, was supposed to star Kartik alongside Janhvi Kapoor and Lakshya. It was being directed by Collin D’Cunha and planned as a sequel to the 2008 hit ‘Dostana’ which starred Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham. Reports at the time claimed that Kartik had already shot for over two weeks. Several reports suggested that the fallout was due to severe scheduling conflicts, creative disagreements over the second half of the script, and allegations of unprofessional behaviour. Following his departure, the production house declared they would recast the film, with rumours later pointing towards Vikrant Massey stepping in. However, there is no official announcement yet.
3. Priyanka Chopra - Bharat
Priyanka Chopra was all set to make a massive Bollywood comeback in Ali Abbas Zafar’s ‘Bharat’, starring alongside Salman Khan, Sunil Grover, and Disha Patani. However, she famously walked out of the project in the eleventh hour. Ali Abbas Zafar announced her exit on X (formerly Twitter), playfully hinting at her impending marriage to American singer Nick Jonas as the primary reason. However, industry buzz suggested there was more to the story. Alongside her wedding prep, Priyanka Chopra prioritised shooting Shonali Bose's ‘The Sky Is Pink’ (which released the same year in 2019) and was also exploring the Hollywood project ‘Cowboy Ninja Viking’ alongside Chris Pratt, though that film was later shelved. Katrina Kaif swooped in at the last minute to replace her, and ‘Bharat’ released as a massive Eid blockbuster on June 5, 2019.
4. Aishwarya Rai - Chalte Chalte, Veer-Zaara And Heroine
Aishwarya Rai has faced multiple high-profile replacements throughout her career. She was originally cast opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Aziz Mirza’s romance ‘Chalte Chalte’ (2003) and Yash Chopra's epic ‘Veer-Zaara’ (2004). However, during the shoot of ‘Chalte Chalte’, severe disruptions caused on set by her then-boyfriend Salman Khan led to her unceremonious removal from both projects. She was replaced by Rani Mukerji in the former and Preity Zinta in the latter. Aishwarya Rai later admitted in an interview with Simi Garewal that she never received an explanation for these sudden ousters.
Years later, she voluntarily stepped away from Madhur Bhandarkar’s 2012 drama ‘Heroine’. Aishwarya Rai had already shot for a few days and even launched the film at Cannes, but chose to quit after discovering she was pregnant with her daughter, Aaradhya. Kareena Kapoor was subsequently brought in to play the complex, troubled protagonist, with the film releasing on September 21, 2012.
5. Shraddha Kapoor - Saina
When Amole Gupte decided to direct a biographical sports drama based on the life of badminton champion Saina Nehwal, Shraddha Kapoor was the original choice for the titular role. She heavily promoted the film, shared first-look posters holding a racket, and underwent extensive, gruelling athletic training to prepare for the part. Unfortunately, halfway through her preparation, Shraddha contracted dengue fever. The intense physical toll of the illness made it impossible for her to continue the exhausting training required for a sports biopic. She amicably stepped down, and Parineeti Chopra was brought in to replace her alongside co-star Manav Kaul. ‘Saina’ eventually released in theaters on March 26, 2021.
6. Kareena Kapoor – Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai And Ram-Leela
Kareena Kapoor has walked away from several major projects, most notably her planned Bollywood debut. She was originally cast opposite Hrithik Roshan in Rakesh Roshan’s ‘Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai’ (2000). She even shot a few scenes before creative disagreements between director Rakesh Roshan and Kareena’s mother, Babita Kapoor, led to her exit. Ameesha Patel made her debut instead, and Kareena launched her career later that year with ‘Refugee’.
More than a decade later, Kareena walked out of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’ (2013). While rumours claimed she left due to her impending wedding with Saif Ali Khan, Kareena clarified that the exit was due to contractual disputes. She had allotted 100 days for the shoot, but Sanjay Leela Bhansali requested additional days without extra compensation. She opted out, Deepika Padukone stepped in alongside Ranveer Singh, and the film became a monumental blockbuster upon its release on November 15, 2013.
7. Rekha - Fitoor
Abhishek Kapoor’s romantic drama ‘Fitoor’ - an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ ‘Great Expectations’ starring Katrina Kaif and Aditya Roy Kapur - initially boasted the legendary Rekha in the crucial role of Begum Hazrat (based on Miss Havisham). Rekha had completed a significant portion of the filming in Kashmir before abruptly walking out of the project. The veteran actress was reportedly unhappy with how her character was shaping up onscreen, alongside having creative clashes with the crew over her styling and costumes. Left stranded midway through production, director Abhishek Kapoor quickly roped in Tabu to reshoot Rekha’s entire portions, and the film eventually hit screens on February 12, 2016.
8. Shah Rukh Khan - Munna Bhai M.B.B.S
It is almost impossible to imagine anyone other than Sanjay Dutt as Munna Bhai, but Shah Rukh Khan was once associated with ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’ The movie, which marked Rajkumar Hirani’s directorial debut, is synonymous with Sanjay Dutt's lovable portrayal of the titular street-thug-turned-doctor. However, the role of Murli Prasad Sharma was initially offered to SRK, who was supposed to star alongside Makarand Deshpande as his loyal sidekick, Circuit. SRK had to exit the project primarily due to a severe back and shoulder injury that eventually required surgery, making it impossible for him to commit to the continuous shooting schedule Rajkumar Hirani required. While Shah Rukh backed out, his production house Red Chillies Entertainment had already been involved in the early stages (and he is credited in the film's opening). Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi stepped in to deliver career-defining performances. Co-starring Gracy Singh and Boman Irani, the film released on December 19, 2003, and birthed a beloved, generation-defining franchise.
9. Hrithik Roshan - Shuddhi
‘Shuddhi’ remains one of Dharma Productions' most heavily publicized shelved projects. Directed by Karan Malhotra and produced by Karan Johar, the highly ambitious reincarnation drama was initially supposed to star Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor Khan. However, the film faced immense delays after Hrithik suffered a severe head injury while filming ‘Bang Bang’, which required him to undergo brain surgery for a subdural hematoma. In early 2014, Hrithik officially released a statement announcing his exit so as not to delay the project any further, though industry reports also pointed toward unresolved profit-sharing disagreements with the studio. Following his exit, a revolving door of A-list replacements - including Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, and Varun Dhawan - were floated, but the film never went on floors and was eventually completely scrapped.
10. Abhishek Bachchan - Paltan
J.P. Dutta’s multi-starrer war film ‘Paltan’ was meant to be a grand reunion for the director and Abhishek Bachchan, whom J.P. Dutta had launched in ‘Refugee’ (2000) and later directed in ‘LOC Kargil’ (2003). The film's ensemble cast featured Jackie Shroff, Arjun Rampal, and Sonu Sood. However, in a move that left the production team completely blindsided, Abhishek walked out of the film less than 24 hours before the crew was scheduled to fly to Ladakh to commence shooting. While the director was left shocked by the sudden exit, Abhishek Bachchan later clarified in interviews that the withdrawal was strictly due to unforeseen personal reasons. He expressed his deep heartbreak at not being able to stand by his mentor's side. Harshvardhan Rane was quickly brought in as a replacement, and the film was released on September 7, 2018.
11. Parineeti Chopra - Animal
Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s monstrous box-office juggernaut ‘Animal’ featured a star-studded cast including Ranbir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, and Triptii Dimri. When the film was first announced, Parineeti Chopra was officially cast as the female lead, Geetanjali. However, a year later, it was reported that Parineeti had walked out of the intense action drama. The reason cited was a massive scheduling clash with Imtiaz Ali’s biographical drama ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’, starring Diljit Dosanjh, which Parineeti chose to prioritise. Interestingly, Sandeep Reddy Vanga later revealed in interviews that the exit was also a mutual creative decision; after reviewing some look tests, he honestly felt Parineeti didn't naturally fit the specific vision he had for the character. Rashmika Mandanna was subsequently brought in to replace her, and the film hit theaters on December 1, 2023, becoming one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time.
12. Aamir Khan - Darr
Yash Chopra’s 1993 psychological thriller ‘Darr’ forever changed Shah Rukh Khan's career trajectory, establishing him as a mainstream star capable of playing a terrifying, obsessive villain. However, the role of Rahul was originally offered to Aamir Khan. Aamir had recently worked with Yash Chopra in ‘Parampara’ but exited ‘Darr’ following significant creative disagreements. Aamir had a strict personal policy of requiring joint script narrations when working in a two-hero film, demanding that he and co-star Sunny Deol sit together to hear the script so there would be absolute clarity on screen time. Yash Chopra refused to accommodate the joint narration request, leading to Aamir being removed from the project. Co-starring Juhi Chawla, the film released on December 24, 1993, and became a hit - though the exact on-set friction Aamir had predicted indeed manifested between Sunny Deol and Shah Rukh Khan post-release.
13. Sushant Singh Rajput - Half Girlfriend
Before Arjun Kapoor was finalised to play the lovelorn Madhav Jha in Mohit Suri's ‘Half Girlfriend’ (2017), the late Sushant Singh Rajput was officially signed for the screen adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's hit novel. Sushant Singh Rajput had even begun intensive preparations, including perfecting his Bihari accent for the role. However, the actor had to pull out of the project in late 2015 due to massive scheduling conflicts. He had previously committed his dates to Dinesh Vijan's reincarnation romance ‘Raabta’, co-starring Kriti Sanon. When the shooting schedules for both films unexpectedly overlapped and neither director could shift their dates, SSR honoured his first commitment and walked away from Mohit Suri's project. Starring Arjun Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, the romantic drama eventually released on May 19, 2017.
14. Akshaye Khanna - Drishyam 3
In a major controversy which unfolded recently, Akshaye Khanna made headlines for abruptly walking out of ‘Drishyam 3’. Akshaye Khanna, who delivered a standout performance as the relentless IG Tarun Ahlawat in Abhishek Pathak’s massively successful ‘Drishyam 2’ (2022), was fully expected to reprise his role in the third installment alongside franchise leads Ajay Devgn, Tabu, and Shriya Saran. However, just days before the makers were about to begin filming, Akshaye Khanna exited the project in December 2025. According to producer Kumar Mangat Pathak, the actor sent a message stepping away from the film and then went completely incommunicado. Reports suggested the sudden departure stemmed from severe disagreements over remuneration following Dhurandhar’s success. This unexpected exit - coupled with Ranveer's ‘Don 3’ walkout - was so disruptive to pre-production that it prompted the Producers Guild of India to issue a strong official statement in June 2026 condemning the growing trend of last-minute walkouts.
In Bollywood, an actor leaving a film is rarely treated as just a scheduling update. Big films involve star dates, massive budgets, set planning, marketing strategy, distributor confidence and audience expectations. When a star exits before shooting begins, the makers can sometimes recover quietly. But when an actor walks away after portions have already been shot, or when a film has been publicly announced with a major star, the impact becomes much bigger.
In every case, these casting shake-ups prove that behind every glossy Bollywood announcement, there is a fragile, complicated and very human process before the camera finally rolls.
